1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a surgical access assembly, and more particularly, to a surgical access assembly including an access port and a seal anchor adaptably engaging each other in a sealing relation and a method of use therefor.
2. Background of Related Art
Various surgical procedures are performed in a minimally invasive manner. This includes forming a small opening through a body wall of the patient, e.g., in the abdomen, and inserting a seal anchor through the opening to provide a substantially fluid-tight seal between a body cavity of a patient and the atmosphere. Due to the relatively small interior dimensions of the access devices used in endoscopic procedures, only the elongated, small diametered instrumentation such as, e.g., trocar and cannula assemblies, may be used to access the internal body cavities and organs. In general, prior to the introduction of the surgical object into the patient's body, insufflation gases are used to enlarge the area surrounding the target surgical site to create a larger, more accessible work area.
When compared to the larger incisions typically found in traditional procedures, both trauma to the patient and recovery time are reduced for procedures involving small incisions. However, minimally invasive surgery such as, e.g., laparoscopy, has several limitations. In particular, surgery of this type requires a great deal of skill in manipulating the long narrow endoscopic instruments to a remote site under endoscopic visualization. To this end, hand-assisted laparoscopic techniques and procedures have been developed. These procedures include both laparoscopic and conventional surgical methodologies. The hand-assisted technique is performed utilizing a seal anchor in conjunction with an access port, which is an enlarged device that protects the incised opening from, for example, infection and contamination.
The maintenance of a substantially fluid-tight seal is desirable to prevent the escape of the insufflation gases and the deflation or collapse of the enlarged surgical site. Accordingly, there is a need for an access assembly used in a hand-assisted minimally invasive procedure that can accommodate a variety of surgical objects while maintaining the integrity of an insufflated workspace.